


Can't Be Replaced

by ChuGottaWay



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Delpad Day 2019, F/M, Fluff without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 12:49:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17725511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChuGottaWay/pseuds/ChuGottaWay
Summary: Della is struggling to deal with change and Launchpad is struggling to watch a horror film on date night.





	Can't Be Replaced

“You know that shapeshifters are real, right? They slip into totally normal people, absorb them, and control their bodies.” Della whispered as she snuggled closer to Launchpad on the couch. Despite how cute his girlfriend was, it was hard to focus when the monster on the television screen bit off the scientist’s arms through a corpse’s chest.

 

Launchpad gave a nervous laugh. “Y-yeah. S-sure, yeah. Very funny, Dells. This is a movie.” He flinched at the blood flooding the screen. 

 

Della nuzzled her beak on Launchpad’s neck. “Oh, yes, _this_ is just a movie,” she purred. “But the monster is real. There’s all sorts of violent, body snatching creatures all over the world. Trust me. I’ve had to fight against some of them.”

 

Launchpad loved his girlfriend dearly, but couldn’t she have picked a more romantic movie at the rental store to make out to? He was starting to wonder if she had a fetish for splatter films.

 

“Like what?” he asked.

 

“There are these creatures…they look like moles. They come up through the toilets.” She started to nip him.

 

Launchpad hadn’t fully recovered from the scene with the monster attacking the dogs earlier in the film, and now he has to think about never using the restroom in peace for the rest of his life. Normally, he loved hearing Della’s stories of derring-do, her tales of bad and good luck as she fought adversaries on her adventures. But this was very much _not the time_.

 

“C-can we do this another time, Dells? N-no offense, I’m not feeling it tonight,” Launchpad said as he gently pushed her aside.  

 

“Hm? Are you scared?” Della asked, her eyes wide with surprise. “Oh, I’m sorry!” She grabbed the remote off the end table and turned off the television. “You should have told me earlier. I wouldn’t have rented it if you didn’t like scary movies.”

 

Launchpad looked down in shame as Della went over to the television to put the DVD back in its case. “I know it’s October,” he said, shaking his head to clear his mind, “but maybe we can watch something else instead? Something less, y’know, bloody.”

 

Della put the DVD case back in her satchel, sighed, and looked around Launchpad’s room for ideas. “What about that awful new reality show where that washed-up superhero guy tries to help all those trashy ladies find love? What was it called again? _Let’s Get Amorous_? That should be scary enough for Halloween.”

 

Launchpad’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Ha! That ‘washed-up superhero guy’ is Jim Starling –“

“-- And he’s the lead star of _Darkwing Duck_ , I know, I know.” Della interrupted. “Honestly, even if I didn’t remember that, your room alone is an excellent reminder.” She pointed to the many posters hanging on the walls. “My brother used to be into that superhero stuff too.” She paused.  “Oh! Maybe you’ve heard of it! He read this series called ‘PK.’ I think the hero’s name was Paperinik? I’ve been meaning to read it since Donnie left for college, but I can’t find it anywhere.” She walked over to his bookshelf and pushed aside some of his bobble heads to look at the titles.

 

Launchpad practically bounced off the couch and trotted over to Della like an excited puppy. “You’re interested in comics now? That’s awesome! You’ll have to read Darkwing Duck Adventures. After that, there’s Darkwing Duck: The Nega-ventures. Then there’s Ultimate Darkwing, then there’s Ultimate Darkwing Ultimate Adventures, and then there’s…”

 

Della folded her arms and tapped her foot. “And Paperinik?”

 

“O-oh! Right! Paperinik!” Launchpad nervously rubbed the back of his head. “Uh, ol’ PK. I mean, I consider myself to be something of a comic book nerd but I haven’t – er, that is, I’m sure it exists but I’ve never – “

 

Della sighed. “No, it’s okay. Donnie has always been a bit weird. He liked strange music and strange comics. I’m not surprised you’ve never heard of it.”

 

She trudged back to the couch and wrapped herself in the throw blanket, leaving only her beak exposed. Launchpad panicked. He thought she had been a little off all evening. He wondered if he had said the wrong thing or if he ruined the night by not wanting to watch the movie. God, he must be the worst boyfriend on the planet. He had to turn this date night around.  He clenched his fists and tried his best to match his expression with Darkwing’s when he resolved to get dangerous.  

 

“If you need me to, I’ll find that comic book for you! I’ll drive to every bookstore and comic shop in Duckburg! I’ll even drive out to St Canard and Cape Suzette! There’s nothing that will stop Launchpad McQuack from finding rare and unique comic issues! You can count on me.” He finished his pledge with a quick salute.

 

She didn’t seem to see his cool hero antics nor did she seem impressed.  “It’s okay, Launchpad. I’m not feeling it tonight.” She sighed.

 

Launchpad looked back at his bookshelf. He had a fine collection of comics and VHS tapes of all the superheroes from the 90’s. Or so he thought. “Is this about…your brother?” he asked. “He started school last month, right? I’ve never met the guy, but I know that you two were close. He’s probably having a great time in Mouseton! I hear it’s a great school.”

 

Della grunted. Launchpad figured he must be somewhat close to the truth.

 

“Hey, don’t be sad, Della!” he said, trying his best to be encouraging. “You and me – we weren’t meant for boring old academic institutions! Think of all the money we’ll save by not spending thousands to go to some fancy school. We don’t need degrees; we need our wits!”

 

“That’s not it.” Della emerged from beneath the blanket and focused her attention to a small stain on the carpeted floor. “I could have gone to school. I could have gone to Mouseton University. But Dumb-onald didn’t want me to go. He said he wanted to ‘find himself.’ Away from me. He said he wanted to have a life outside of his family.”

 

Whoa. Della’s brother was named Dumbonald? Launchpad assumed Donnie was short for Donatello or Donovan. Della’s family must be like no one else’s on Earth.

 

“Wait. Hold on,” Launchpad needed time to process all this information. “So, you didn’t apply to any universities because your brother didn’t want you to go?”

 

Della shook her head and finally lifted her head to look at her boyfriend. “No, I didn’t want to go to school. I don’t need it. I’ve seen almost everything on my uncle’s adventures - ghosts, zombies, living mummies, vampires. What more could I learn in class? All that matters is that I follow Uncle Scrooge’s legacy. You must know what it’s like,” she said, giving a small smile. “Mr. Future Heir to the Flying McQuacks.”

 

Launchpad didn’t have the heart yet to tell her that he wasn’t good enough to join his parents’ flying troupe and that he was wondering if he’d ever want to join it at all. He kept quiet.

 

She fiddled with the corner of the blanket. “Every October, Donnie and I would watch horror movies together. He prefers the artsier stuff, but I love the blood and gore.” Della laughed at Launchpad’s grimace. “I guess that’s not your thing, huh?”

 

Launchpad sat back next to Della on the couch. “Nah, not really. I’m not as cool as your brother. And I don’t think I could ever be your brother, you know? I’m Launchpad. I prefer the not-blood and gore. The not-scary. And I absolutely prefer watching movies where the bad guys aren’t secretly real and going to take us over and kill us all through our food and toilets.”

 

Della laughed and threw her arms around Launchpad to embrace him. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. No matter if it’s evil shapeshifters, ghosts, demons, or any other crazy monsters from the movies. None of them can stop me!”   

 

Launchpad kissed her forehead. “If monsters are all real, could superheroes be real too? It would be cool to meet Darkwing one day. Maybe your brother could meet Paperinik!”

 

Della nuzzled into his chest. “Sure, why not? Superheroes can have supernatural powers. I’m sure I must have met a superhero on my travels once.”

 

“Maybe we can watch superhero movies this month instead,” Launchpad said, stroking Della’s hair. “I can still look for those comic books you wanted. We can read them together.”

 

“No, that’s okay.” Della said. “Like you said, you’re Launchpad. I wouldn’t want you to be anyone else. We’ll create our own traditions. New traditions. Together.”

 

Launchpad couldn’t ask for anything more than that.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Delpad Day! I was so nervous writing this, but I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to write some sweet romantic fluff for my DuckTales OTP. I love these two silly lovebirds so much.


End file.
